Fri, 3 Sep 2010, 05:08 PM Pro Modified Qualifying Notes, Session #1

By Larry Sullivan

CLERMONT, Ind. - Notes from round 1 qualifying in Pro Modified at the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, 56th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil listing lane, driver name, elapsed time, top speed, and position in order following run:

---

Left Lane: Dave Pierce Runs 7.763/111.12, Now #1

4:31 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 80 degrees, relative humidity 32 percent, barometer 28.94 inches, adjusted altitude 2,982 feet, track temperature 107 degrees.

Can't tell you much about Pierce, this is his first pass in the Get Screened America Pro Mod series. He made a hard charge to about the eighth-mile, then lifted and put the laundry out.

---

Left Lane: Billy Harper Runs 6.092/231.48, Now #1
Right Lane: John Russo Runs 14.465/56.35, Now #3

Russo's S-10 shook, danced, and he shut it off. Harper made a relatively good run, with good early numbers. Billy Harper's incremental times: 60ft-0.989 sec., 330ft-2.649, 660ft-3.987/185.26 mph, 1,000ft-5.125.

---

Left Lane: Ike Maier Runs 6.482/220.73, Now #2
Right Lane: Chuck Cheeseman Runs 12.531/68.30, Now #4

Cheeseman shook hard and clicked it off. Maier made a full pass, lost a lot of time in the first half of the run.

---

Left Lane: Pat Musi No Time, Now #7
Right Lane: Mike Knowles Runs 6.024/238.60, Now #1

Musi shut off after the burnout. Knowles' car was very loose for the first 300 feet, wagging its tail.

---

Left Lane: Dennis Radford Runs 8.273/113.48, Now #6
Right Lane: Roger Burgess Runs 5.926/244.74, Now #1

Radford had a 0.973 60-foot time, but had to lift before half track, the car out fo the groove and moving around. Burgess made the best run so far, with no visible problems. Roger Burgess' incremental times: 60ft-0.983 sec., 330ft-2.617, 660ft-3.911/192.71 mph, 1,000ft-5.006.

---

Left Lane: Melanie Troxel Runs 9.811/90.08, Now #7
Right Lane: Mike Janis Runs 14.157/62.11, Now #9

Janis' car "went wacky" and was bouncing, so he lifted quickly. Troxel's car made a hard launch, then a quick, hard move toward the wall about 200 feet out and she also shut off.

---

Left Lane: Rickie Smith Runs 5.958/237.75, Now #2
Right Lane: Brad Personett Runs 6.413/243.99, Now #5

This was strange. Smith launched and was at least half way to the finish line before Personett launched, without the usual spool-up. His first-half numbers were terrible, but the car made a hard charge on the top end.

Rickie Smith's incremental times: 60ft-0.978 sec., 330ft-2.612, 660ft-3.909/191.24 mph, 1,000ft-5.015.
Brad Personett's incremental times: 60ft-1.272 sec., 330ft-3.060, 660ft-4.386/189.44 mph, 1,000ft-5.490.

---

Left Lane: Rick Stivers Runs 6.879/223.76, Now #7
Right Lane: Raymond Commisso Runs 10.593/81.42, Now #11

Stivers came off the starting line a little off-pace, then started smoking the tires about 20-30 feet off the line. He stayed on the throttle and eventually drove out of the tire spin around half track. Commisso launched into tire spin and shut off.

---

Left Lane: Joe Baker Runs 6.006/236.17, Now #3
Right Lane: Scott Ray No Time, Now #17

Ray left before the tree was activated, slowed as soon as he realized it was a wasted pass.

---

Left Lane: Ed Hoover Runs 12.093/71.42, Now #14
Right Lane: Troy Coughlin Runs 5.928/238.51, Now #2

Coughlin's nitrous-boosted car is very quiet, but obviously also very quick. Hoover launched into severe tire shake, getting out of shape as he passed the tree.

---

Left Lane: Jay Payne Runs 10.282/84.80, Now #14
Right Lane: Kenny Lang Runs 6.008/237.59, Now #5

Payne's car went into a wild dance after 100 feet, may have been up on two wheels before he reined it in. Lang's car made a leisurely launch, losing a lot of ET, came on hard on the top end. Then the tractor made a couple of quick passes in the first part of Lang's lane, so he may have had some kind of fluid leak.

---

Left Lane: Danny Rowe Runs 11.063/104.06, Now #17
Right Lane: Von Smith Runs 5.975/241.80, Now #4

Rowe shook and slowed, but Smith made a good opening pass, good for fourth spot.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink